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This is the Beijing Hour.
Examining the events that impact and shape China and the rest of the world.
This is the Beijing Hour, one hour of news and information brought to you every weekday.
Now here's your host, Shane Biggum with you on this Friday, July 18, 2025.
You're listening to the Beijing Hour, coming to you live from the Chinese capital.
On today's program, Chinese officials say that the country has made tremendous progress in commerce development since the start of the 14th Five -Year Plan period.
Media reports say there's an updated ceasefire proposal for ending the violence in Gaza.
Brazil says it'll not tolerate foreign interference amid growing tensions with the United States.
In business, China's consumer market continues to drive the economy.
In sports, China claims its first gold at the World University Games in Germany.
In culture and entertainment, the Chinese president's wife gave a speech at a China -U .S. youth friendship event.
Now the day's top stories.
Chinese officials say the country's made landmark achievements in commerce development since the 14th Five -Year Plan began in 2021.
Commerce Minister Wang Wentao said the success of foreign investment is a testament to the improving business environment in China.
Wang Mengjia has more.
With the 14th five -year plan period nearing conclusion, Wang Wentao, Minister of Commerce, described the five years as a period of remarkable progress.
China's consumer market remains the second largest globally, with an average annual growth rate of 5 .5 % in retail sales of consumer goods and is expected to top 50 trillion yuan, or about 7 trillion US dollars in 2025.
According to Wang, China's leading the world in the total volume of trade in goods, foreign direct investment, or FDI, into the Chinese mainland in actual use has exceeded the target of $700 billion since 2021.
The minister also held the success of foreign investments as a vivid testament to China's improving business environment.
Wang asked to comment on Sino -U .S. ties over the past years.
Yes, one of them has done any attempt at decoupling.
The economic and trade relationship between China and the United States has experienced ups and downs, but the two countries remain important partners to each other.
China and the U .S. both stand to gain from cooperation and lose from confrontation.
Facing uncertainties, Wang said China will adapt its policymaking to the changing times and circumstances.
in order to further promote commercial development over the next five years.
That was Wang Mengjia reporting.
Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Lintao says China remains the world's top goods trader, showing strong resilience despite global pressures.
China's market share for exports and imports has remained stable, over 14 % for exports and above 10 % for imports.
Services trade kept its second -place global ranking, ranking surpassing $1 trillion for the first time last year.
And now joining us is Professor Liu Baocheng, director of the Center for International Business Ethics at the University of International Business and Economics.
Thanks for joining us.
Given that China's goods trade remains the world's largest, what specific policies or structural advantages have contributed most to this resilience?
Well, I think first, China has been focusing on continuous improvement of the Chinese infrastructure by building the smart ports and reroute its logistic chains in it, the businesses can benefit from a very cost -effective way.
And second, it's the big manufacturer powerhouse China has been shipping.
We have have the complete structure of the manufacturer from materials to final assemblies and then to the marketing on a global basis with unmatched power in breadth and depth.
So this allows a very rapid reconfiguration and supply chain substitution to face external shocks.
And third is the Chinese policy coherence.
In spite of the cold current for the protectionist sentiment on a global basis, China remains highly committed for its open door policy by the first entering into a number of regional trade agreements like regional comprehensive economic partnership.
And we are also seeking partnership with the Digital Economic Partner and also the CPTPP.
So the other is that we are looking forward to deal with more trading partners by diversifying our export base.
For example, Europe and the United States used to be the top of the Chinese export destinations.
Now, ASEAN countries and also the global south become a rising power to engage in trade and investment partnership with China.
With services trade exceeding a trillion dollars for the first time, which sectors drove this expansion?
And how will China further boost high value services trade?
Broadly speaking, it is the high -quality growth strategy that Chinese leadership has been maintaining and in which the business community has been responding very quickly, We're universities, research organizations, and businesses, they team up together to support continuous innovation, particularly in the area of ICT and digital services.
So cloud computing, cross -border data services, and fintech exports have surged a great deal.
And we noticed that there are a number of Chinese, the digital giants like Huawei Cloud, the Tencent Cloud and Ant Groups, they actively engage in overseas collaboration.
And then the Chinese protection of intellectual property rights has been strengthening a great deal with more of the law -based operation.
And now the fact that we have set up a whole series of IP courts that's there to provide judicial justice for those indigenous innovators.
So the industrial design, research and development, professional services can benefit a great deal.
And so they are able to export their engineering, their architectural, legal and consulting services, and particularly now along the Belt and Road.
So more fundamentally, it is the education and culture that continually to provide the talent and also great aspirations to foster the Chinese service ideas and also service exports.
Well, China's been actively working to boost domestic consumption.
How is the country going to do this moving forward?
Well, technically, I do not think the artificial stimuli will work on a sustainable basis, but it needs to be shifted on empowerment of the Chinese people's disposable income.
income, one approach is really to narrow the divide between the haves and have nots, and particularly the divide between the urban citizens versus the rural farmers.
And that is there to bring up more of the lower and middle income groups into more of of the buying power that the middle class has been enjoying.
And then the other is to strengthen the Social Security so where people can really be able to open their purse and reduce their precautionary savings because they are able to fall back on something just in case of illness or loss of capability to work.
And the other is the government is doing is to provide better public services like expanding the coverage of pensions, health care, and promoting the free education, and also the economy, housing, so that it's able to give more of the space for people to spend.
I think more decisively, we would look forward to some of the tax reforms where, you know, businesses and households can get a better portion where they can really be able to spend more.
That's a more decisive and sustainable way of consumption empowerment.
Thank you very much for joining us this evening.
That's Professor Liu Baocheng talking about China's foreign trade.
Well, Friday marked the third day of the third China International Supply Chain Expo in Beijing, the event showcasing new technologies and products.
For more highlights, we're joined live by Xu Yewan.
Good evening. Thanks for joining us.
Out of all the new technologies and products you've witnessed at the expo so far, which ones have really stuck with you?
Well, thank you for having me, Shen.
One standout feature of this year's CIIC, I think, is the remarkable progress in humanoid robotics, particularly evident in the Hubei exhibition area in a digital technology exhibition zone.
So for instance, I have witnessed that this humanoid robot from a Hubei tech company is standing at 1 .7 meters tall with full -sized robots demonstrating impressive agility, performing Tai Chi, and dancing with fluidity.
And the marketing director told me that they aim to use the robots for performance purpose, and they also have another robotic humanoid robot that can play chess.
They said they will use that for senior care.
Another notable innovation is the electronic skiing developed by a tech company from Wuhan, which enables robotic arms to handle delicate objects like tofu, showcasing a significant leap in tactile sensitivity and adaptability.
And these developments are part of a broader trend in Hubei province, where over 80 companies are collaborating across the entire humanoid robotics supply chain from core components to intelligence systems. And this ecosystem approach not only enhance product quality, but also accelerates the transformation of research into real world applications.
So the integration of artificial intelligence, advanced sensors and collaborative manufacturing, I think it's setting the stage for China's humanoid robots to become key players in global markets.
Well, during your interviews at the Expo, what have you found are the main focuses and desired outcomes for the companies at the event?
Yeah, that's a good question.
So at this year's CISD, companies and international delegations, they are concentrating on three main goals.
First, showcasing technological innovations.
Second, exploring new supply chain models.
And third, expanding your market access either here in China and also around the world, like build global partnerships.
So a lot of companies, they're highlighting your work in areas like artificial intelligence, big data, and also the Internet of Things.
And all with the aim of driving digital transformation in supply chains.
And the focus, I think, is on improving their work efficiency, reducing costs, and enhancing transparency.
In the meantime, businesses, they're exploring new supply chain strategies like regionalization, like sustainability with the goal of creating more resilient and flexible systems that can handle future trade disruptions.
And another key priority for many companies is expanding market access and building international partnerships.
So I have spoke to business enterprises from Serbia and also Mexico and Thailand.
So I'm just naming a few here.
There are also other companies from South America, Poland, the U .S., and U .K., South Korea, and they are all coming together to discuss collaboration opportunities and strengthen global ties.
So I think this year's CISD was really a crucial platform for advancing global supply chains of finding a balance between resilience, sustainability and innovation while also addressing the challenges posed by geopolitical tensions.
And there are still two days to go.
I think companies will leave the Expo with new partnerships, fresh policy insights and tech -driven strategies to safeguard their future operations.
All right, thanks for joining us this evening.
That's Xu Yiwen at the third China International Supply Chain Expo.
The UN Refugee Agency is participating in the China International Supply Chain Expo for the first time.
The agency is seeking cooperation with Chinese companies.
Chen Tong has more.
It may be a bit odd to see a refugee shelter at the China International Supply Chain Expo.
Why do you want to set up a refugee house here at the expo?
Well, because it represents innovation, humanitarian aid, protection.
It's Moina's first time to be at Expo.
The refugee issue may seem to have nothing to do with the preaching Expo.
But in fact, Chinese companies have been offering increasing support for refugees and UNHCR globally.
The response that we were able to provide in the Myanmar earthquake, where also product made in China have had a very strong importance.
Chinese private enterprises have been actively donating to refugee communities.
In appreciation of public support and contributions, products designed and handmade by refugees are being offered to the public.
Some of them have been made in China, for example this one, this ones are product produced by Chinese suppliers.
This one as well. the unhcr estimates there are over 122 million people around the world who have fled their homes they need cost efficient products for living and they also need solutions to make a living the unhcr's procurement amount in 2024 was 1 .3 billion us dollars and the un agencies are attracted by chinese companies cheaper prices and efficient production capabilities they can buy cheaper and do more supply chain from china are very important for us to make that budget more efficient if we can supply more with the same amount knowing that our budget is shrinking will be a produce helping
more refugees and providing hope and solutions to them in a more agile and right now as you know we have a severe financial crisis and we need that agility and And that's why more and more refugee shelters show up at Expo.
The role of Chinese companies is very important for us and we hope we can have many more.
And in this Expo, that's exactly what we're trying to do, establishing more networks.
OK, so you have a target this year, finding more companies.
Exactly. That was a report on the UN Refugee Agency's participation at the China International Supply Chain Expo.
Coming up, there are reports of an updated ceasefire proposal to end the violence in Gaza.
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At 18 past the hour, media reports say mediators including Qatar and Egypt have presented Israel and Hamas with an updated Gaza ceasefire proposal.
The two main updates concern the Israeli military's withdrawal from Gaza in terms of the prisoner hostage exchange.
It follows an Israeli strike on the only Catholic church in Gaza, killing three people and injuring several others.
UN Secretary General António Guterres condemned that attack.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgio Meloni blamed Israel for the strike.
The Israeli military said an initial inquiry suggests fragments from a shell accidentally hit the church. Rami Amagari has more from Gaza.
The church that was hit was a sort of a shock for those being displaced inside the church. 400 Palestinian Christians from Gaza City, especially in the eastern parts of Gaza, have been displaced inside that a church when a tank shell hit the yard of the church. According to witnesses, people we have spoken to.
They had finished that what they call prayers for the morning prayers and they gathered in the yard when an Israeli tank shell according to what they said hit them.
One of those injuries which are serious is a 75 year old woman called Najwa and her grandson Sohail they were injured she was critically injured and now is being taken to the intensive care unit while her son or her grandson has been wounded in the thigh that a shield or a sharp nail hit his thigh and had gun from the other side from the back of his thigh that is sort of a shocking as they told us they are all Christians and have nothing to do with the hostilities with a conflict around despite the fact that this area is located in an area that the Israeli army has ordered the population to evacuate
recently that's in answering as a city it is about three kilometers away from or four kilometers away from the eastern parts where conflict is tough over there between the israeli army and the uh resistance hamas fighters over there to the east of the gaza city this is according to the civil defense uh crews in gaza this is not the first time that this church is hit by israeli army weaponry it's the third time and the conflict in row for the time being.
That was Rami al -Maghari reporting.
The interim Syrian authorities say the military is withdrawn from Sueda province in the south after days of deadly clashes with militias linked to the Druze minority.
The truce came after a mediation by the US, Turkey and Arab nations.
The clashes have left nearly 600 people dead since Sunday.
Israel says it launched a strike on the Syrian Defense Ministry headquarters in Damascus because of the violence against the Druze.
Turkey and 10 Arab nations have condemned the strike and expressed support for Syria's security, stability and sovereignty.
They added that they reject all foreign interference in Syria's affairs.
The U .S. says it does not support the Israeli strike on Syria as concerns remain over how the fragile ceasefire will last. The Druze community is in the spotlight again as fighting broke out with the country's new authorities.
The religious minority mostly lives in southern Syria near the Jordanian border and in suburbs outside Damascus.
The community also has members in Lebanon, Israel, and the Israeli -occupied Golan Heights.
The Druze community traces their faith to Islam, but is regarded as heretical by some Sunni militant groups.
The interim Syrian leader is trying to unify Syria under an Islamist -led government, but the country's complex mix of sectarian and ethnic groups poses major challenges.
The Druze minority briefly had an autonomous state in southern Syria during the 1920s.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's vowed demilitarization in the south of Damascus.
He says Israel's committed to protecting the Druze community.
Druze leaders and Syrian government officials reached a ceasefire on Wednesday after Israeli forces hit military targets in southern Syria.
Jonathan Mergev has more from Tel Aviv.
According to the prime minister is exactly what Israel did this time.
The forceful action made made sure that there are no Syrian forces, no armed forces close to the Israeli border.
This is a lesson that Israel learned the very hard way on October 7th, 2023 on the Gaza border.
And the other thing, according to Netanyahu, Israel stepped up for the Druze minority.
This was a very strong request from the Druze sect in Israel, both the Druze living in Israel proper and also those living on the Golan Heights, which have close family ties with the Jews in Syria.
They put a lot of pressure on the government to defend the brothers in Syria.
According to the prime minister, this is exactly what happened.
Israel acting forcefully both in the area of Sueda and, as you also mentioned, in the capital Damascus.
Only this, says Prime Minister Netanyahu, brought along the ceasefire in Syria.
There are still quite a lot of military reinforcements on the Israeli side of the border, on the Golan Heights.
First, there is an estimate that some hundreds of Syrians who have crossed the border illegally are still in Israeli territory, and also Israel is closely watching what is still happening across the border in the area of Suida to make sure that no further intervention is needed.
That was Jonathan Regev reporting.
Coming up, tensions between Brazil and the United States are rising.
You're listening to the Beijing Hour.
60 minutes of comprehensive comprehensive news, your window on China and the world.
At 24 minutes past the hour, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva says Brazil will not tolerate foreign interference in its internal affairs amid growing tensions with the United States over new tariffs and digital regulations.
Speaking to thousands of students at a national congress, Lula dismissed suggestions that the tariffs were linked to the prosecution of former President Jair Bolsonaro.
Lula pledged a civil and democratic response while announcing that U .S.-based digital platforms will be required to comply with Brazilian laws and pay taxes.
A gringo is not going to give orders to this president of the republic.
We are going to judge and tax American digital companies.
He also accused the companies of fueling disinformation and harming Brazilian society.
The South African finance minister has called for greater global leadership from the G20, saying there's never been a greater need for it.
Enoch Gorongwana made the remarks during a meeting of G20 finance ministers and central bank governors in Durban.
As Julie Shire reports, the finance chiefs face a tough task to find common ground on challenges among developing countries, including African nations.
The KwaZulu -Natal region is steeped in rich culture, yet it is one of the poorest provinces in South Africa.
It is where the third G20 finance minister's and central bank governor's meeting is convening, calling for a change in world order to uplift the lives of millions who live in abject poverty.
Many developing countries, especially in Africa, remain burdened by high and rising debt vulnerabilities, abilities, constrained fiscal space and high cost of capital that limits their ability to invest in their people and their futures.
Technological shifts, especially in the artificial intelligence and digital finance, offer tremendous potential, but also demand robust governance.
The hosting of the very first ever G20 event on African soil has been overshadowed by a tectonic policy shift by the United States, with many African countries still reeling from U .S. aid cuts and a threat of reciprocal tariffs on goods from Africa.
The problem is that in the areas where these farmers are operating, they are actually employing a lot of low -skilled people in those areas.
And the social impact of the tariffs in those areas then could be significant.
If you look at the number of layoffs in Lesotho at the moment, the consequences that on the general economy in Lesotho, just the unemployment burden, the inability to collect taxes, and then add to that the fact that USAID has been shut.
and so the support for health and other systems in a country like Lesotho will manifest the impoverished people.
Finance and central bank chiefs have to negotiate difficult terrain as they try to find common ground on debt restructuring and climate financing.
Climate -related shocks and extreme weather events are increasing in frequency and severity worldwide, worldwide impacting lives livelihoods and macroeconomic stability cumulative impact of these cascading challenges is pushing the achievement of the Sustainability development goals South Africa's finance minister Enoch Gondogwana issued a clarion call for Boulder cooperative cooperative leadership as the world finds itself along choppy waters.
The mood here has been cordial but the big question remains whether they'll reach consensus on the challenges facing African and global South nations.
That was Julie Shire in Durban.
One child died after a bus carrying students crashed on a rural road in southwest England on Thursday afternoon.
Avon and Somerset Police Chief Superintendent Mark Edgington said several passengers suffered serious injuries including two children.
Approximately 60 to 70 people were believed to be on board at the time.
A major incident was declared with police, fire and ambulance services dispatching crews to the scene.
The coach was carrying a number of adults and children to Minehead Middle School when it overturned.
We can confirm tonight that one child has sadly died.
A formal identification process will need to be carried out, but our thoughts and sympathies are with their family who were in contact with at this time, and specially trained officers are with them to provide support An investigation into the cause of the crash is underway A judge in Idaho has lifted a sweeping gag order in Brian Koberger's murder case Koberger pleaded guilty earlier this month of stabbing four University of Idaho students to death in 2022 He avoids a possible death sentence News organizations had pushed to lift the gag order after his plea made a trial unnecessary necessary
koberger admitted to breaking into the students home and killing them we're at 29 past the hour checking the forecast ahead of the break in beijing's at 25 degrees friday evening thundershowers and 32 tomorrow nanchang's down to 29 then cloudy and 37 hong kong's 28 overnight torrential rainfall and 34 on saturday a haiko in hainan province is 27 overnight then torrential rains, and 31 degrees.
Elsewhere in Asia, Islamabad's at 25 overnight, then a slight rainfall and 33 on Saturday.
Vientiane's down to 25, then moderate rains and 33.
Phnom Penh's at 26 overnight, slight rainfall, and 31 tomorrow.
In Africa, Nairobi's getting some rain and 24 degrees on Saturday.
Kampala's down to 19, followed by rain and 25.
Juba's 21 this evening, then some rain and 32.
It's time for a short break.
So far this hour, Chinese officials say that the country has made tremendous progress in commerce development since the start of the 14th Five -Year Plan period.
Media reports say there's an updated ceasefire proposal for ending the violence in Gaza.
And Brazil says it'll not tolerate foreign interference amid growing tensions with the United States.
Shane Begum with you.
Stay with us here on The Beijing Hour.
Shh, listen up. Can you hear the heartbeat of our world?
it's vibrant and pulsating with the essence of life itself from the stem of trees to the gurgle of rivers from the silent strength of mountains to the icy whispers of glaciers And even the solid ground beneath our feet Was right there, in the midst of all Beasts the heart of humanity What if those other heartbeats were to stop?
Would ours, keep on ticking?
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Examining the events that impact and shape China and the rest of the world.
This is the Beijing Hour.
One hour of news and information brought to you every weekday.
Now, here's your host, Shane Bingham, with you on this Friday.
Still to come, in business, China's consumer market continues to drive the economy.
In sports, China claims its first gold at the World University Games in Germany.
In culture and entertainment, the Chinese president's wife gave a speech at a China -U .S. youth friendship event.
To contact us, you can email radio at cgtn .com or follow our ex -account at cgtnradio.
Now checking the day's headlines, here's Tianyu.
Thank you, Shane. China has called on the U .S. to roll back what it calls unreasonable trade barriers, warning that strict export controls damage fair competition and disrupt global chip supply chains.
This comes after Washington gave Nvidia the green light to sell H20 chips to China.
Beijing says the two sides remain in close communication following trade talks in London in May, with the U .S. already easing some restrictions.
China is calling for fair negotiations and joint action to stabilize the world semiconductor supply chain.
China has doubled daily cross -border passenger train services between Kunming and Vientiane on the China -Laos railway starting Friday.
The move adds another pair of trains between the southwestern Chinese city and the Laos capital.
Railway authorities from both countries will adjust future schedules based on demand.
Since the launch of cross -border service in in April 2023, the China -Laos railway has transported 540 ,000 passenger trips.
The European Union has reached an agreement on a new sanctions package against Russia.
It includes measures targeting the oil and energy sectors.
Diplomats say the package will lower the G7's price cap for crude oil to $47 .60 per barrel.
It also has a ban on on transactions related to Russia's Nord Stream gas pipelines and the financial sector.
Russia says it is still analyzing U .S. President Donald Trump's statements on possible secondary tariffs against buyers of Russian exports.
Trump threatened a 100 % tariff unless there is a peace deal within 50 days.
The Russian Foreign Ministry said Moscow does not accept threats.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Russia is open for continuing talks to end the fighting, but is still waiting for Kyiv to offer a date for the next round of discussions.
UN Secretary General António Guterres has strongly condemned the Israeli strike on the Holy Family Church in Gaza, a shelter for civilians.
UN spokeswoman Stéphane Tremblay said on Thursday that such behavior is unacceptable.
The Secretary General strongly condemns today's strike on the Holy Family Church in Gaza, a place of worship and a sanctuary for civilians.
Attacks on places of worship are unacceptable.
People seeking shelter must be respected and protected, not hit by strikes.
Too many lives have already been lost. There's an urgent need for an immediate ceasefire and the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.
The UN reported over 11 ,000 new displacements in a week, raising the overall displacements since the breakdown of the ceasefire in March to more than 737 ,000, about 35 % of the population in Gaza.
Most homes are destroyed, forcing families to sleep outdoors.
With water infrastructure collapsed, many relied on the sea to bathe, but Israel banned coastal access.
Fuel shortages persist, risking lives.
The UN has urged more fuel, lifted bans on sheltered materials and demanded a ceasefire and hostage release.
A spokesperson for the UN secretary -general has expressed condolences after a fire killed over 60 people at a new shopping mall in Iraq.
Stéphane Tremblay said the UN stands ready to provide humanitarian aid to ease the impact of the tragedy.
We join our colleagues in the UN assistance mission for Iraq Iraq and extending our sincere condolences and heartfelt sympathy to the families of the victims of the tragic incident that struck the city of Kut as a result of a devastating fire claiming the lives of many people.
We express our strong solidarity with the people of Ouasset governorate and this profound loss and we stand ready to provide all possible humanitarian support and assistance to help mitigate the impact of this tragedy while reaffirming the utmost importance of protecting human life.
Authorities are still investigating the cause of the blaze in Kut.
The provincial governor confirmed the filing of legal cases against the owners of the mall and the building, but did not specify the charges.
Thank you very much. That was Tianyu with Headlines.
Coming up in business, China's consumer market continues to drive the economy.
me. The Beijing Hour, your window on China and the rest of the world.
36 past the hour and with business now here's Tian Liu.
Thank you Shane. Stock markets on the Chinese mainland closed higher on Friday.
The Shanghai composite index rose by half a percent while the Shenzhen component index edged up nearly four tenths of a percent.
Elsewhere in China the Hong Kong stock market closed higher with the Hanson Index up by 1 .3%.
Meantime, the Nikkei in Japan fell by 0 .2%.
The Chinese Commerce Ministry says China's consumer market has solidified its role as a major economic engine with retail sales expected to exceed 50 trillion yuan or 7 trillion US dollars this year.
Commerce Minister Wang Wenchao says total retail sales of consumer goods since 2021 have grown at an average annual rate of 5 .5%, maintaining China's position as the world's second -largest consumer market.
According to the World Bank, in terms of actual purchasing power, China's retail sales of consumer goods have surpassed that of the United States, reaching 1 .6 times the U .S. numbers last year.
Service consumption has expanded rapidly, now accounting for about 46 % of household spending.
New consumption trends, including e -commerce, have flourished, contributing around 60 % to annual GDP growth.
For more on China's consumption growth, Li Donglin spoke with Gao Yuning, the deputy dean of the School of Public Policy and Management at Tsinghua University.
For consumption, according to the press conference attended by Commerce Minister and his panel, that consumption contributed around 60 % on average annually to China's economic growth over the past four years.
So would you please elaborate on the central role that consumption is gradually taking in China's economic development and what are the major factors behind that growth?
Thank you. I think consumption has become more and more important for both Chinese economy and the world from two sides.
One is internally, because we have already built up a massive production system.
So a growing and a stronger consumption system become more and more important as the driven force of the economic growth during the past several years.
That makes the outcome of the Chinese economy, especially the manufacturing sector, has their destination.
On the other hand, from the outside perspective, Chinese domestic market, I think, actually highlighted by the minister that measure by purchasing power parity, China's, you know, the product consumption has already now 1 .6 times larger than the United States.
So that means China's consumption market has already become one of the largest. The consumption market has the global significance.
So that is also important for the global economic growth.
So I think from both sides, consumption has become more and more important.
That was Gao Yuning at Tsinghua University.
China's industrial value added of surveyed enterprises increased by 6 .4 % in the first half of the year, in another sign of resilience following a good start in the first quarter.
Official data shows that investment from the manufacturing sector rose 7 .5 % in the first six months amid large -scale upgrades in the industry during the 14th five -year plan period that runs until the end of this year.
The chief engineer from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology says profits increased 5 .4 % in the first five months.
Xie Xiaofeng said artificial intelligence has quickly found practical uses in the consumer market and manufacturing.
He said that over 100 AI -enabled products such as cell phones and smart eyewear are now available in China.
Production of humanoid robots designed for factories has surged 35%, and that for the service sector jumped 25%.
The U .S. House of Representatives has passed what's called the Genius Act, a landmark bill on stablecoins following Senate approval in June.
It marks the first major cryptocurrency legislation cleared by Congress, paving the way for banks to issue their own digital assets.
President Trump is expected to sign it into law soon.
Also on Thursday, the House passed a digital act which sets rules for crypto exchanges, brokers and issuers.
A third bill banning the Federal Reserve from issuing a central bank digital currency was also passed.
The latter two now await Senate debates before they can become laws.
For more, crypto analyst Mark Dukas explains the implications of stablecoins on the infrastructure of the cryptocurrency community in the United States.
STABILCOINS HELP THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE CRYPTOCURRENCY COMMUNITY AND THEY ALLOW THE ON -RAMP AND OFF -RAMP INTO THESE DIFFERENT COINS, WHETHER IT'S BITCOIN, WHETHER IT'S ETHEREUM, AS WE SEE ETHEREUM ZOOMING OVER THE PAST FEW WEEKS AND THOSE INFLOWS HAPPENING.
STABILCOINS ARE JUST A PART OF THIS ENTIRE ECOSYSTEM.
AND WE SEE THE CIRCLE IPO THAT HAPPENED RECENTLY AND THAT TYPE OF MOVEMENT.
SO I THINK IT'S JUST ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO BE AWARE THAT THE STABILCOINS ARE gonna be helpful.
The government wants to make sure that this process unfolds properly.
And I think that that's actually happening, as we can see with the price increase.
Now as crypto analyst Mark Dukas.
The U .S. will impose a 50 % tariff on copper, a key material for solar panel manufacturing beginning August 1st. Copper prices have hit all time highs as U .S. companies worry over production and investment decisions.
Michael Allen is the CEO of All Energy Solar.
It's wild. I would say there's not a lot of sleep happening.
Each of those have two 700 -foot rolls of copper.
I can tell you our warehouse directors are absolutely barking to get more space.
This is really difficult to continue to have to manage, to continue to have to change your plans or your ideas or your communication with your customers At the end of the day, these are all expenses and additional costs that maybe weren't planned for and unfortunately have to be passed on to customers majority of the time.
Experts say Trump's plan for tariffs on metal could stymie the goal of boosting American manufacturing while potentially igniting inflation.
Singaporean Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong says the best framework for the global economy at present is the world temporarily minus one, referring to the United States.
Speaking at the Economic Society of Singapore's annual dinner, Lee said the U .S. wants to take a narrower bilateral transactional view of international trade, diverging from the multilateral trade rules of the World Trade Organization.
He added that the United States wishes the rules were different and is trying to change them.
While the United States still needs to engage in global trade, Lee noted it's uncertain whether it will return to the WTO framework.
He urged like -minded partners to strengthen regional and global trade blocs such as ASEAN, ASEP and CPTPP and work to keep the WTO functioning despite consensus challenges.
Qingdao has hosted a conference on trade and economic cooperation among member countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, aiming to boost regional collaboration and promote an open world economy.
The event brings together trade officials, business associations and enterprises from SCO member countries, along with domestic partners active in SCO cooperation.
Exhibitors from 40 countries and regions are participating, joined by over 350 top domestic exhibitors and more than 2 ,700 professional buyers, including over 300 from overseas.
The conference highlights Shanzhong province's growing role as a platform for China -SCO trade and investment, advancing deeper economic ties across the region.
China Eastern Airlines have launched a new direct route connecting Shanghai and Copenhagen.
An Airbus A330 landed in Copenhagen on Thursday evening to a traditional water salute with over 250 passengers later flying back to Shanghai.
high. A ceremony at Copenhagen airport celebrated the inaugural flight, with Chinese ambassador Wang Xuefeng calling the route an air bridge that will enhance business ties, cultural exchanges and bilateral cooperation.
The launch coincides with the 75th anniversary of China -Denmark diplomatic relations.
The route will operate three times weekly on Mondays, Thursdays and and the Saturdays, and expand to four flights per week starting September the 24th, adding a Wednesday service.
All right, thank you very much. That's Tianlu with business.
Coming up in sports, China claims its first gold at the World University Games in Germany.
China's Yang Hansen has taken the NBA Summer League by storm.
This week on Sideline Story, we break down Yang's electric trailblazers' debut with Jukic -like passes and solid defense, and why Portland might be his Perfect Launchpad.
Plus, we dive deep into the off -season shake -up.
Which teams are now true title contenders after massive moves?
Get inside analysis with Sideline Story.
Subscribe now wherever you get your podcasts.
At 46 past the hour, with sports now, here's Yong Guang.
Thank you, Shane. We begin with the World University Games in Germany.
China's He Yanwei and Lu Wei claim the first gold medal of the tournament in Berlin.
Winning women's 10 -meter synchronized platform title in diving.
He from Beijing Sport University previously won gold at 14th National Games while Lu from Chengdu Sport University was a 2019 world champion in the same event.
She shared her thoughts on diving from separate platforms. Diving from separate platforms for the first time felt both thrilling and nerve -wracking but we have conquered that fear now.
This is a whole new experience as normally we can see each other through our peripheral vision The duo led from the very first dive, earning a competition -high 80 .64 points on their 4th attempt and extending their lead to over 35 points after the 5th.
They secured gold with a total of over 330 points.
Germany took silver and USA finished with bronze.
In basketball, Chinese prospect Yang Hansen has delivered a strong performance to help the Portland Trail Blazers defeat Houston Rockets.
102 -83 in the NBA Summer League.
Young played nearly 22 minutes, contributing 8 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 blocks, showcasing his versatility at both ends despite some early turnovers.
After a slow start, Portland rallied and led 46 -40 at halftime.
Young was instrumental in stabilizing the team with interior scoring, timely passing and rim protection.
He continued to impact the game in the second half adding key baskets and assists.
James Booknight led Blazers with 25 points and D .J.
Carton chipped in 15.
For Houston, Great Osoba scored 16 and Kevin Harris added 14 points and 8 rebounds.
In golf, Chinese player Li Haotong carried a bogey for a 4 -under 67 to share the first -round lead at the Open Championship in Portrush, Northern Ireland.
Lee, who birdied twice on both sides, is tied with Harris English, Matt Fitzpatrick, Jacob Scarf Olsen and Christian Boeseldenstraat atop a tightly packed leaderboard. Battling wind and rain at Royal Portrush, players face the classic Lynx challenges.
English briefly held the solo lead at 5 -under before a bogey on number 14.
Fitzpatrick eagled the second hole and chipped in on 16.
Olsen reached the 4 -under with an eagle at 12, but dropped a shot late, while number 1 Scottie Scheffler and several others sit on one stroke back at 68.
reigning Open champion Brian Harmon, Justin Rose and Lee Westwood among 10 players at 2 -under.
Bryson DeChambeau struggled with with finishing with 7 over 78.
In cycling today, Pogacar delivered a dominant performance on the brutal slopes of Hortecam, winning stage 12 at the Tour de France and leaving rival Jonas Vingegaard over 2 minutes behind.
The Slovenian world champion attacked 12 .5km from the summit in stifling heat, eventually finishing 2 minutes and 10 seconds ahead of Vingegaard, who now trails by over 3 minutes overall.
Overall, it was sweet revenge for Pogacar, who was beaten by Vingegaard on the same climb three years ago.
Pogacar praised the team for doing a great job in the stage.
Yeah, we did a superb job.
The team rode really well.
Yeah, Chapo also too, Ben Healy and EF, they were trying to defend the jersey.
They show a really big spirit and also Uno X, they fight for their own GC.
see. So it was hard day for everybody, but in the end, we were super strong.
Remco Amundepool cracked on the final ascent and now sits over four minutes back in third place overall.
Florian Leopovitz finished third on the 180 .6 -kilometer stage from Aarhus.
Wengergaard's teammates, including Simon Yates and Mathieu Jorgensen, struggled, leaving the Dane isolated.
Pogacar now eyes a fourth -stage win in the 10 .9 -kilometer mountain -time trial to Pegelgaard Goode.
In football, England has spoke to Spartan Women's Euro 2025 semi -finals after an epic 3 -2 penalty shootout win over Sweden that saw 14 players step up and more misses than goals.
After coming from 2 -0 down to force extra time, England held on through a goalless extra period before surviving one of the most chaotic shootouts in tournament history.
Goalkeeper Hannah Hampton making her tournament debut after Mary Earp's retirement emerged as the unlikely hero.
The 24 -year -old, playing with a bloodied nose, made two crucial saves and watched as three Swedish penalties, including the decisive miss by Smilla Holmberg, sailed over the bar.
She said it was determination not to go home that fuelled England's incredible comeback.
To be honest, I don't really think we needed to tell everyone to switch on. I think everyone knew what the outcome would have been if the scoreline stayed 2 -0.
we said at half time we don't want to go home so it's down to us to turn the game around and that we did I'm just glad that we all stuck together and that's one thing we didn't want to do we never wanted to turn on each other because if the outcome was reversed and we were going home we didn't want to feel like we all got on each other's backs Lucy Brown's powered home a critical spot kick for England despite limping moments earlier Alicia Russo and Chloe Kelly also converted while four england efforts were saved by sweden's jennifer falk in a shootout that defied belief all right thank you very
much that was uh young guang with sports just ahead in culture and entertainment chinese president's wife gave a speech at a china u .s youth friendship event global sovereign wealth funds are warming to china again this country posts another quarter of better than expected growth what's fueling the optimism which sectors are showing resilience amid global uncertainty.
While second quarter growth outpaced annual targets, it slowed from the first quarter.
Is this a sign of fading stimulus or just a natural rebalancing?
And looking ahead, does China have what it takes to sustain momentum through the rest of the year?
Tune in as we unpack the data, the trends, and the outlook on this week's Chat Lounge.
Wherever you listen to podcasts and on CGTN Radio.
Radio. 53 past the hour.
Turning to culture and entertainment, Peng Liwen, the wife of Chinese President Xi Jinping, attended the Bond with Ku Liyang 2025 China -U .S. event and delivered a speech at the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries.
She highlighted the century -old Ku Liyang story and President Xi's 40 -year friendship with his Iowa friends as symbols of China -U .S. ties.
Pung also viewed a video from the 2025 China -U .S. Youth Choir Festival.
Ellen McInnes, founder of Friends of Kuliyong, and Luca Baroni, the president's old friend from Iowa, shared stories of people -to -people exchanges and cooperation.
U .S. youth representatives reflected on their China visits and expressed their willingness to serve as new generation ambassadors of friendship, continuing the legacy of goodwill between the two countries.
Xi 'an's hosting the second Shanghai Cooperation Organization television festival.
Nearly 300 delegates from 19 countries are attending to strengthen cross -border cooperation.
Wang Siwen has more.
The second TV festival of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization countries is now underway in Xi 'an, the ancient gateway to the Silk Road, SEO Deputy Secretary General and guests gave the opening remarks.
As the world's largest and most populous regional organization, the SEO plays a vital role in fostering cooperation.
To date, China has co -produced 13 audiovisual programs with SEO countries and broadcast over 200 top -tier foreign works across Chinese TV and online platforms. forms. Nearly a dozen co -productions are in development including singer 2024 which featured contestants from russia and kazakhstan.
In line with china's booming 50 billion microdrama sector the festival promotes a fully integrated media ecosystem sessions on industry cooperation content distribution and marketplace showcase are driving new partnerships market growth and and technology exchange.
Recently, we purchased many microdramas, like vertical dramas from China, and we occurred for its biggest Indian OTT platform called Cuckoo TV.
We sold more than 200, 300 microdramas, Chinese microdramas to India, and we do the remake rights of microdramas, and we do our own production in India, and we release, and we are into microdrama, And we look forward to collaborate with Chinese companies, Chinese distribution companies for more micro -dramas to distribute and purchase.
Turkish youth are increasingly interested in Chinese dramas.
There is great potential here, so we are exploring partnerships in series, documentaries and film.
Today, he also saw the release of the 2025 SCO TV Festival Declaration and showcased 40 landmark programs. Guests from the forum say the SCO TV Festival deepens understanding among member countries, celebrates cultural diversity and strengthens the SCO family.
Putting the Shanghai spirit on screen deepens ties between nations.
That was Wang Siwen reporting from Shanxi province.
province china's summer 2025 box office has surpassed 3 .3 billion yuan or 460 million u .s dollars with animated films leading among over 20 domestic and international titles this year's lineup includes sequels to classic ips and original stories catering to all age groups notable releases include the hidden chamber 309 of fantasy exploring modern reliance on technology and Pleasant Goat and Big Big Wolf, Bright New Dawn, featuring an epic clash of light and darkness.
At 57 past the hour, Beijing down to 25 degrees on Friday evening.
It'll be getting thundershowers in 32 on Saturday.
Nancheng's down to 29, followed by cloudy conditions in 37.
Hong Kong's 28 this evening, then torrential rainfall in 34.
Haikou in Hainan province is 27 overnight, then torrential rain and 31 degrees Celsius.
Celsius. Elsewhere in Asia, Islamabad's down to 25, Saturday has a slight rain in 33.
That's it for this edition of the Beijing Hour.
Making news today, Chinese officials say the country's made tremendous progress in commerce development since the start of the 14th five -year planned period, and China's consumer market continues to drive the economy.
On behalf of the staff, this is Shane Bigham in the Chinese capital, hoping you'll join us for the next edition of the Beijing Hour and open a window to the world together.
Find The Beijing Hour at precisely 6 p .m. Beijing time.
We meet you on podcast and on air every weekday.
The Beijing Hour Your window on China and the rest of the world.
He can't live without the Yellow River in his eyes.
The Yellow River is so noble and elegant.
Both my grandpa and dad made the living from the river.
Would you like to move away from the Yellow River?
I don't think I will.
I love it so much. The Yellow River, the second longest river in China, is regarded as a shaping force in the history, economy and culture of northern China.
China. Today, about 100 million people live within its water basin, making up nearly 9 % of the country's population.
How is climate change felt at its headwaters, and what are the locals doing to cope with it?
What are the descendants of the boatmen doing?
What has kept some people from leaving their home village by the river, and what has drawn others us back could the fading fishing community revive in the time of digital transformation from 2021 to 2024 our reporters visited the upper middle and lower reaches of the yellow river talk to the herders farmers boatmen fishermen and eco -activists who share a close bond The Yellow River Mosaic, available only on CGTN Radio.
